


The Poet and the Gardener

by BottomOfTheRiver



Category: Original Work
Genre: Aromantic, Cat, Flower Fairies (Cicely Mary Barker), Gen, Gratuitous Poetry, Horticulture, aro characters, queer platonic partnership, secret gardens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 11:07:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17786231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BottomOfTheRiver/pseuds/BottomOfTheRiver
Summary: Holly just wanted some honey but he stumbles upon a garden and becomes friends with the gardner. Featuring aro characters, my opa’s late cat, poetry and probably inaccurate horticulture





	The Poet and the Gardener

**Author's Note:**

> Part 1 of 4

 

FEBRUARY

Holly had only wanted some honey. Exploring the old gardens had seemed a fun thing to do after talking to the beekeepers and watching them work and getting his honey but he hadn’t planned to stay. He had only poked his head in the walled garden out of curiosity. Personally he blamed the cat. If that silly cat hadn’t jumped out on him he wouldn’t have fallen over and he wouldn’t have looked up to see Rowan’s ridiculous smile and he wouldn’t have been roped in whatever it was that Rowan was doing. Yes, it was definitely the cat’s fault.

“You don’t have to stay, you know,” said Rowan in xir annoyingly cheerful tone. “But Orphie does seem to like you.” Xe gestured to the wretched cat who was purring in Holly’s lap. Holly grumbled, though he didn’t make any move to leave other then to move to the deck chair in the corner. “I don’t want to upset the cat.”

Rowan didn’t seem to mind Holly’s grumpiness, as xe set about the garden. The crocuses were starting to flower, and he set about starting to plant the lilies. The cat, Orphie, let out an angry mew and Rowan turned to see that Holly had stood up and was now staring at the small purple and yellow buds by the path.

Crocus of yellow, new and gay;  
Mauve and purple, in brave array;  
Crocus white  
Like a cup of light,—  
Hundreds of them are smiling up,  
Each with a flame in its shining cup,  
By the touch of the warm and welcome sun  
Opened suddenly. Spring’s begun!  
Dance then, fairies, for joy, and sing  
The song of the coming again of Spring.

“Have you memorised the flower fairy poems?” Rowan appeared to be half way between laughing and being impressed. “I think they’re pretty and I have a good memory.” Holly flushed pink.      “I like them too.” Rowan came over to stand next to him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make fun,” xe turned to him and smiled softly. “Will you come back tomorrow?”

What could Holly say but yes.

MARCH

Orphie greeted Holly at the door and lept into his arms. The cat was as thick as two short planks but he had taken rather a shine to Holly. Rowan grinned as xe saw him. “Have you seen the daffodils?”

“It’s quite hard to miss them.” The daffodils had only just begun to bloom and covered the ground outside with bright yellows and oranges. “How’d that poem go again?” Holly rolled his eyes, but recited all the same.

   I’m everyone’s darling: the blackbird and starling  
Are shouting about me from blossoming boughs;  
For I, the Lent Lily, the Daffy-down-dilly,  
Have heard through the country the call to arouse.  
The orchards are ringing with voices a-singing  
The praise of my petticoat, praise of my gown;  
The children are playing, and hark! they are saying  
That Daffy-down-dilly is come up to town!         

“Who calls Daffodils ‘daffy-down-dilly’s’” snorted Rowan.

“They’re old, okay.” Holly knelt down to help Rowan. The various colours of the lilies were smiling up at them and Rowan had moved onto planting the summer bulbs. The garden was coming along nicely. It wasn’t especially organised, Holly thought, but it added to its charm. This was a secret garden after all and secret gardens should never be too neat.

Much to his shock Holly had now found himself joining Rowan in the garden nearly every weekend. What had caused this sudden green thumb to develop he would never know. Perhaps it was age. Yes, that must be it.

APRIL

Soon, March bled into April and Holly found spring in full bloom. The air was sweet and filled with the buzz of honeybees. He was loath admit it but April was probably Holly’s favourite time of year. Rowan knew this too, of course, though xe was far too kind to mention it. Rowan was busy pruning various beds to get ready for summer.

“It must have been quite disappointing when we came into existence after plants, don’t you think?” Rowan commented one surprisingly sunny afternoon as they walked down the path through rest of the gardens.

“Perhaps,” Holly mused. “But people can be beautiful too, though a little more complex.”

“I suppose. But sitting in the ground and eating sunshine does sound appealing.”

“You mean you don’t eat sunshine? How else can a person be so happy.” Rowan laughed. Xe spun round and pointed at some tall red flowers growing by the path. “Fumitory,” xe said. “Does Cicely Mary Barker have a poem for Fumitory?”

Holly racked his brain, he was sure she did. Rowan laughed again

Given me hundreds of years ago,  
My name has a meaning you shall know:  
It means, in the speech of the bygone folk,  
“Smoke of the Earth” —a soft green smoke!

A wonderful plant to them I seemed;  
Strange indeed were the dreams they dreamed,  
Partly fancy and partly true,  
About “Fumiter” and the way it grew.

Where men have ploughed  
or have dug the ground,  
Still, with my rosy flowers, I’m found;  
Known and prized by the bygone folk  
As “Smoke of the Earth” —  
a soft green smoke!

“How long have you been waiting to try and catch me out?” Holly asked.

“Over a month. Do you know how hard it is to memorise a poem and then desperately hope you’d forgotten it,” replied Rowan. “I hold you in significantly higher regard now you’ll be pleased to know.” Holly nodded and rolled his eyes. Rowan just laughed.

As they continued walking, their hands found each other, and gently swung between them.


End file.
